Free Speech

A high school student from Colorado won first place in Focus on the Family's Day of Dialogue blog contest for her effort to answer the question, "Does God really care?"

The national contest was held in conjunction with the family ministry's sponsored event earlier this year that encouraged students to talk to their friends about God's love and design for marriage and sexuality.

Katie, 17, whose last name was withheld by FOTF, wrote that "God always has something new to teach us … Especially throughout high school, hormones are running rampant. Relationships become a big deal. Our dreams fade and change. We face drama with friends, teachers, boyfriends, girlfriends… It's a lot to deal with for someone who hasn't even lived two decades yet." more >>

The manufacturer of a new T-shirt design using the phrase "MY Jesus" is now under fire from the NFL for using a design similar to the New York Jets football team. The shirts were designed to highlight the fact that team's newest addition, quarterback Tim Tebow, is a popular Christian athlete.

NBC Sports reported on Sunday that CubbyTees.com, the company that produces the shirts received a cease-and-desist letter last week from NFL attorneys. The letter states that if the company does not immediately stop production of the shirts then the NFL will take further legal action.

In addition, The Christian Post reported last week that attorneys for Tebow also sent a letter to the company asking them to stop production because of the assumption that Tebow was endorsing the product. more >>

An Idaho first-grader's plan to perform a song by worship singer Chris Tomlin using sign language for a talent show is back on track after the school's principal originally banned the entry, deeming the song "too religious."

Lena Whitmore Elementary School reversed its decision after the Alliance Defense Fund sent a letter to the school and district officials pointing out that banning the performance would be unconstitutional.

The Christian-based lawyers group released a statement on Friday that said ADF remains concerned about a district policy that will allow free speech violations to continue if it is left unchanged. more >>

An Indonesian atheist who posted the message "God doesn't exist" on Facebook and started an atheist page now faces up to 11 years imprisonment for breaching the most populous Muslim nation's blasphemy laws.

Alex Aan, a 31-year-old civil servant, was beaten up by a mob of people in his hometown in Pulau Punjung after he posted the comment, which included an image of the prophet Muhammad, and was then arrested and charged for blasphemy. Although Indonesia has freedom of religion laws, those only apply to people of six faiths: Islam, Catholicism, Protestantism, Buddhism, Hinduism and Confucianism.

The atheist is officially being charged with "insulting a major religion," which carries a maximum five-year prison sentence, but he might also get an additional six years for using the Internet to spread such "blasphemous" messages. It is believed that Aan is the first Indonesian to be tried under the state's philosophy, which requires belief in one God. The government does not allow for not believing in God, as noted in the U.S. Department of State's International Religious Freedom Report. more >>

A doctor in the U.K. has lost an unfair dismissal case against the hospital that fired him two years ago for emailing a prayer to colleagues during Christmas.

Dr. David Drew faced an employment tribunal at Walsall Manor Hospital in the West Midlands and was dismissed for "gross misconduct and insubordination" in Dec. 2010. The 64-year old father of four had emailed a prayer by 16th century Jesuit founder St. Ignatius Loyola as part of a Christmas greeting to colleagues, but was terminated from his position after one staff member found the emails "bizarre" and "inappropriate," the Telegraph reported.

The clinical doctor, who said he attends a Baptist church, prefaced his email with the statement: "I find this a personal inspiration in my frail imperfect efforts to serve my patients, their families and our department." more >>

Supporters worldwide breathed a moderate sigh of relief when word came early Wednesday that blind Chinese dissident Chen Guangcheng had been transported to a hospital for treatment under the protection of U.S. diplomats. However, it was also revealed that Chen reportedly left the U.S. Embassy under duress from the Chinese government.

It initially seemed that an arrangement had been reached with Chinese authorities that would guarantee the safety of the human rights activist, who made international headlines last week after he escaped house arrest. After his escape, Chen had secured shelter in the U.S. Embassy in the Chinese capital, causing tension in U.S.-China diplomatic relations.

Despite vows of goodwill from Chinese authorities regarding the activist's case, skeptics had their suspicions confirmed later Wednesday, when Chen reportedly revealed that Chinese authorities had threatened to harm his family if he did not leave the American Embassy. more >>